MMOs Are Ruining Kongregate...

…and internet gaming in general. Most of them are complete garbage and shameless cash grabs. I don’t blame Kong for having them on their site, I really just wish they would stop promoting them so heavily. Just go take a look at the “Featured Games” on the main page, and you will see what I’m talking about. There are at least 3 MMOs featured on there, “New Server Just Added” “Get XX Item For Free!” blah blah blah.

Ugh, this is one of those trends that I wish would suffer a quick death.

I’m not a fan of MMOs as well but “the majority of Kongregate’s revenue comes from their application platform for virtual goods-based browser games.” They are easy enough to ignore so it is not really all that bad.

That’s why the terrible ones that are just cash grabs are actually called PBBG’s (Persistent Browser Based Game). To differentiate between the games that are actually good.

But if you really want to get rid of them, introduce the new generation entering into gaming all the good games out there. Because right now they’re playing PBBGs and somehow managing to have fun while doing it. And as long as they keep playing them, they’ll stay profitable, and won’t be going anywhere.

Wouldn’t say they’re ruining anything. Rather, they’re filling up an ever-expanding but still easily-bypassable corner of the website/internet in general.

Obivously it’s disappointing when you click on a game from the homepage and discover it’s an MMO (and then you have to block it, because even if you rate it 1 and recoil in horror in less than a second, you’re still a ‘player’ or ‘fan’ in the spam world). Losing three clicks from your mouse’s life is a devastating blow, especially if you have a long-discontinued model which now costs 3-4 times the original price and can’t imagine life without it.

And it’s an arse-ache they get so much space on the main page and take away space from (perhaps) more deserving, smaller titles.

But like me and everyone has said, they can easily be ignored. Never pay too much attention to the front page – looking at the weekly/monthly contest rankings is a better way to find quality new games.

A major issue with these games is that some otherwise-tolerable series are beginning to transform into Facebook or iPod styled money-whoring games. Developers are being encouraged to release low-quality games; because the people who are stupid enough to play them without complaining are generally stupid enough to spend money on them as well… And the new mentality is to focus on the tiny-tiny percentage of people who spend tons, instead of the actual gamers.

A major issue with these games is that some otherwise-tolerable series are beginning to transform into Facebook or iPod styled money-whoring games. Developers are being encouraged to release low-quality games; because the people who are stupid enough to play them without complaining are generally stupid enough to spend money on them as well… And the new mentality is to focus on the tiny-tiny percentage of people who spend tons, instead of the actual gamers.

when faced with the option to be lucky to make a few hundred dollars off a flash game, or make thousands off an mmo, which do you think a serious dev who is looking to do this for profit is going to make? very very few flash non-mmo devs can make a living off of this in relation to mmo devs.

if i ever made a flash game, it would be an mmo because why would i waste possibly months on a game when ill be lucky to make a couple hundred off of it? i might as well release a larger game, sell it on steam, and charge money for it.

making games may be done just for the fun of it for some, but its a business to others.

I’m sure you can find my previous posts regarding making a living as a game dev. It isn’t something that anyone should expect. Being able to patch together a cash API and an energy bar isn’t even remotely close to having a real job, and it shouldn’t be expected to pay as much.

Game devs don’t deserve to make a living without working just because they call themselves game devs. If they want to make enough on it, they should put the same amount of time and effort into their games as they would flipping burgers. Being a flash dev is right up there with being a professional philosopher… You’re doing something anyone can do, but wanting to make a living off of it, instead of finding a job.

Or, like blogging. People who expect to make a sizable amount of money from blogging are relatable to people who want to make a sizable amount of money from flash games.

I’m sure you can find my previous posts regarding making a living as a game dev. It isn’t something that anyone should expect. Being able to patch together a cash API and an energy bar isn’t even remotely close to having a real job, and it shouldn’t be expected to pay as much.

Game devs don’t deserve to make a living without working just because they call themselves game devs. If they want to make enough on it, they should put the same amount of time and effort into their games as they would flipping burgers. Being a flash dev is right up there with being a professional philosopher… You’re doing something anyone can do, but wanting to make a living off of it, instead of finding a job.

Or, like blogging. People who expect to make a sizable amount of money from blogging are relatable to people who want to make a sizable amount of money from flash games.

a “job” is just work you do that makes you money. you might not like it, but if it pays the bills, its a job.

this is 2012, you dont have to work a traditional 9 to 5 anymore to make a living.

I can see how those featurettes are annoying (Actually, I can’t. They’re pretty insignificant), but it seems like a little bit of an exaggeration to say they’re ruining the website; but as far as I can tell, this is your only real argument against these “complete garbage and shameless cash grabs”.

Those MMO’s generate a lot of traffic for the site. What’s so wrong about using the featured section when one of those games comes out with an exciting (For the members who play and enjoy the game) content update? Nothing.

And yet there are plenty of people who would argue that gambling is harmful to society overall. PBBGs use the same (if not more advanced) psychological tactics to get people addicted to their games.

its not casinos themselves that are harmful, its the entire existence of gambling. you can never eliminate gambling, it will always exist. as long as its possible, you might as well milk it for all its worth.

every single business on the planet is like a casino. they try to put on a happy face and keep you interested, but their only objective is to make money. keeping you happy is one important tactic in accomplishing this.

It doesn’t matter if you’re creator of the best game in the universe, or some low-life sleeze-ball of society, people will spend their money how they want. Things like “intelligence” and “reason” are often optional and subjective in these situations.

Not much you can do about it except voice your opinion. Which will either gain you support from others for your ideas and opinions, or will cause others to support what is against you, just to spite you. I think it depends on how bored the audience is.

EDIThaving seen and read bobby’s above post: Business is more about the transfer of goods and service than it is about making money. Making money just happens to be prime motive #1 because money is the blood of economy, and without economy, there is no business. Businesses that don’t make profit don’t exist for very long because they are essentially bleeding themselves to death.

Every company is a business, and since good business is what pays the bills and feeds the kids, the high priorities for the company are pretty obvious

The entire idea of business isn’t what is harmful to society. Society is what is harmful to society. Business can transfer goods and services from places where they are unwanted and/or in abundance, to places where they are more scarce, needed, and wanted.

For fun, here is my list of “Things that are harmful to society”:
-Anything

This has basically become a discussion about whether or not casinos taking the money of gambling addicts is harmful to society or not.

well the topic of mmos “ruining” kong is just people who dont like a genre for whatever reason, so since there isnt much to discuss about that, it has been derailed.

Actually I love the concept of MMOs, but the way these companies go about doing it is pathetic. It almost always boils down to sitting there waiting for timers to countdown, unless you spend money of course. And anyone who is stupid enough to spend money on the game is way overpowered compared to everyone else.

Also, they are are EXACTLYTHESAME. All they do is change the setting/theme of the game, suck in as much whales as possible, then completely abandon the game and make a similar one with a new theme. It’s sad really.

This has basically become a discussion about whether or not casinos taking the money of gambling addicts is harmful to society or not.

well the topic of mmos “ruining” kong is just people who dont like a genre for whatever reason, so since there isnt much to discuss about that, it has been derailed.

Actually I love the concept of MMOs, but the way these companies go about doing it is pathetic. It almost always boils down to sitting there waiting for timers to countdown, unless you spend money of course. And anyone who is stupid enough to spend money on the game is way overpowered compared to everyone else.

Also, they are are EXACTLYTHESAME. All they do is change the setting/theme of the game, suck in as much whales as possible, then completely abandon the game and make a similar one with a new theme. It’s sad really.

hey, i agree there are plenty of garbage mmo’s out there and that many do little more than what you said, changing the setting/themes. when that happens, i just play at the one that does it the best(which imo is call of gods, even though i dont play there anymore) i wont play more than 1 of the same type of game cause thats kinda silly.

i currently play 3 mmo’s. backyard monsters, dream world, clash of the dragons. all 3 of these games can be just fine as a free player. the only areas you will be limited are that you probably cant do pvp in clash of the dragons. every other area is available to everyone given enough play.

the mmo haters always seem to forget(or just dont understand) that not every mmo is reliant on money to be successful. the ones that get advertised on the main page are more often than not the ones that are free player friendly. you cant survive JUST on paying members so you need your game to be free player friendly(ad revenue). the ones you never hear about anymore are the ones that failed.

Hey, do you like games? So do we — that’s what makes Kongregate the best source of free games online. We have thousands upon thousands of free online games, from both one-man indies and large studios, rated and filtered so you can play the best of the best. Read more »